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The distance was 2,495 miles. That's how far senior Kenedy McGrath has been from her hometown of Palos Verdes Estates, California, for the past four years as a member of the Virginia Tech volleyball team. But with Hokies by her side, home hasn’t seemed so far away.

“I felt like Virginia Tech was the one school where all the different athletes are close together and friends with each other,” McGrath said. “It’s a great support system.”

McGrath was first introduced to the idea of volleyball beyond high school when she attended USA Volleyball’s camp in eighth grade. While there, she met Tech associate head coach Shelbylynn Adair.

“I saw her outgoing personality,” Adair said. “She played for one of the best clubs in the country. She played at a very high level, and we like players that play at a high level. She played really well with her teammates. She was really assertive on the court, which is what you want with a libero.”

The following season, her team won the Junior Olympics and doors started opening. From then on, McGrath was driven to play volleyball in college.

The California native knew she wanted to have a new adventure away from home, so she toured many schools along the East Coast. However, something was missing.

“If I was going to be so far away, I wanted a ‘homey’ feel, and that’s what I felt when I visited Virginia Tech,” McGrath said.

Virginia Tech was the final stop on her college tour back in 2010, and it was the last. McGrath committed to play volleyball for the Hokies just a few weeks later.

Since then, McGrath has thrived as a member of Hokie Nation. Not only has she been a crucial teammate as she nears the 1,000-dig milestone that any libero strives for, but McGrath also has been making strides to a successful future.

“Kenedy didn’t come in and become the starting libero,” Adair said. “She had to compete and fail and compete and earn her spot on the floor. I think that’s helped her off the court.”

Even as a freshman, McGrath knew she wanted to major in communications with the intentions of becoming a photojournalist.

“I figured out that I’m really good at writing, and I love history,” she said. “Of course, everyone’s dream is to be a photojournalist for national geographic and that’s something that I would love to do. But I also love newspaper writing, magazine writing, and taking my own photos. Social media is really what I like.”

Just before winter break last year, McGrath attended a presentation put on by the local police department. As part of the seminar, the officers spoke of opportunities to get involved with ride-alongs on shifts or to tour the department.

McGrath quickly took up the offer as the New Year came around. The then-junior began interning with the police department, where she co-founded No Hokie Left Behind to raise awareness about campus safety. The message of this initiative was simple: Go with Friends, Stay with Friends, and Leave with Friends.

“Being a Division I athlete here and being on this volleyball team opens so many doors. It shows that we know how to work hard and we have good time management … sometimes,” McGrath said with a chuckle.

This opportunity was perfect for McGrath, who now manages the social media and marketing of the initiatives sponsored by the police department.

“I really enjoy it and it’s something I really want to continue,” McGrath said. “I started last January and I love it.”

Doors continue to open for McGrath as she nears the end of her time at Virginia Tech.

Over winter break, she will be put to the test while taking the first steps to a career post-graduation. McGrath has been tasked with creating a marketing and social media plan for a company back home as a preliminary step for a job application.

“There are so many open doors and so many different people we meet all the time, just in the athletic department or when we go and travel,” she said. “Every time we travel we see someone in the airport that says, ‘I’m a Hokie!’ For what I want to get into, it’s a lot of networking. Being a part of something so big is great and will really be helpful in the future.”

Even though McGrath’s time at Virginia Tech is coming to an end after her four years, she knows it’s not the end. McGrath will always call herself a Hokie, with Hokie Nation as her home whereever she goes.

Catch McGrath and the Hokies back in action this weekend, facing Syracuse Friday at 8 p.m. and Boston College on Sunday at 1 p.m.

For updates on Virginia Tech volleyball, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_VBall and on Instagram @vthokievolleyball